154 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[chap. 



epiglottis to obstruct the opening of the glottis, 

 causing a "roar" on inspiration. Injuries, 

 tumours or swollen lymphatic glands may 

 damage this nerve. 



Symptoms. — Noise in throat as horse inspires, 

 due to the glottis being occluded. To test for 

 roaring, the horse must be galloped and pulled 

 up fairly sudden, and, if a roarer, the noise will 

 be heard as the horse inspires. 



Treatrnenf. — Good food, slow exercise, and 

 careful stable management. Give strychnine and 

 pot. iodide for three days, cease for a week, and 

 then repeat. In very bad cases, tracheotomy 

 must be performed by a surgeon. 



604. Broken Wind, Emphysema of the 

 Lungs, Heaves, or Chronic Asthma. — A chronic 

 lung disease, in which expiration is always 

 longer than inspiration, and the abdominal wall 

 is brought into play to assist in expulsion of the 

 air. There is degeneration of the air cells of 

 the lungs. 



Cause. — Bad horsemastership, hard work on 

 a full stomach, on account of the stomach press- 

 ing against base of lungs. Hard work when in 

 bad condition. Fast continual work, such as 

 racing. The tissues of the air sacs of the lungs 

 break down and cause much difficulty in breath- 

 ing. May follow any lung disease that has been 

 neglected. 



Symptoms. —May come on suddenly. Difficult 

 breathing, especially after work, and woi-se after 

 a meal. Wheezy, distressed expiration of air, 

 accompanied with considerable dilatation of 

 nostrils. Double contraction of the abdominal 

 muscles after each inspiration. A weak, sup- 

 pressed cough, as if the lungs were not strong 

 enough to force any air out. General health is 

 nearly always affected. Often passage of gas per 

 rectum in long-standing cases. May occur in 

 horses four years of age. 



Treatment.— Cannot be cured, but can be 

 eased. Give green feed and mashes and very 

 careful diet. Always wet hay with lime-water; 

 give plenty of linseed oil and tea. Water fre- 

 quently in small quantities. Give Fowler's sol. 

 arsenic, i oz. per day on alternate weeks. Give 

 plenty of fresh air. Good hygiene. Give easy, 

 slow work, and take great care of patient. 

 Change of climate is generally only hope ; horses 

 taken from Ontario to Alberta, 3,000 ft. above 

 sea, are generally practically cured in twelve 

 months. Make up the following powder : 



Iron sulphate . 

 Nux vomica P. 

 Pot. nitrate 

 P. lobelia 

 P. gentian 

 A'-senious add 

 P. digitalis 



4 oz. 

 4 oz. 



2 oz. 



3 oz. 



4 oz, 

 1| dr. 



Mix well, and give ^ oz. on damp feed twice a 

 day. 



605. Bronchitis, or Inflamm.\tion of the 

 Bronchii, which lead from the trachea (wind- 

 pipe) to the lungs proper. 



Cause. — Chill, damp ; may follow laryngitis 

 or other disease. 



Symptoms. — Hurried breathing, not painful, 

 temperature high, pulse quick, mucous mem- 

 brane of nostrils and eyelids dark red, horse 

 dull. Dry and painful cough, which becomes 

 moist and loose, with probable nasal discharge 

 in three or four days. A gurgling sound can be 

 heard if the ear is pressed against the side, just 

 behind the shoulder. 



Treatment. — Fresh air, comfortable box-stall, 

 good clothing, legs bandaged. Mashes and lin- 

 seed tea. Give digitalis and a little nitre. Give 

 ball of ammonium carbonate, camphor, bella- 

 donna, F.E., of each i dr. Later, give strychnine 

 as a tonic. Give inhalations of eucalyptus and 

 boiling water. 



606. Congestion of Lungs. — The functional 

 blood-vessels of the lungs become engorged with 

 blood. 



Cause. — Over-exertion, chill after hard, fast 

 work, bad ventilation. Bad condition predis- 

 poses a horse to the disease. An over-ridden 

 horse in the hunting field may suddenly get it, 

 or may get it after he returns to the stable. 



Symptoms. — Horse begins to blow. Later, he 

 uses every effort to breathe. Forelegs stretched, 

 nostrils wide, head stretched out, breathing 

 rapid. Signs of great distress, eyes bloodshot. 

 Flanks heaving, ears and legs cold, mucous 

 membrane in nostrils and eyes purple colour, 

 due to blood not being oxidised properly. Pulse 

 full, bounding and irregular ; may be bleeding 

 at nose ; may become insensible. Extremities 

 cold. 



Treatment. — Give fresh air, turn horse to- 

 wards wind, clothe well, place all four legs in 

 warm water, and apply hot water or mustard all 

 over thorax to draw blood away from lungs. If 

 pulse very fast, give aconite. Afterwards give 

 tonics and mashes, and a little nitre for several 

 days. 



607. Pneumonia is inflammation of the 

 vesicles of the lungs, caused directly by a 

 vegetable micro-organism, a streptococcus. 



Cause. — May follow other diseases of the 

 lungs, as congestion. Chill ; and same as would 

 cause congestion. 



Traumatic Pneumonia is due to medicines, 

 etc., getting into the lungs. 



Catarrhal, Bronchial or Lobular Pneu- 

 monia. — Bronchioles become clogged with pus 

 and mucus. As a rule, in small lobes ; may 

 extend over large area. 



Croupous or Lobar, i)roduced directly by the 

 streptococcus pneumonia?, is acute and febrile; 

 inflammation of one or more lobes of the lungs, 

 together with consolidation. 



Sporadic Pneumonia, said to be non-con- 



